H.—7

18

The following changes have taken place in the population during the period under review :— Males. Females. Total. Resident, 30th September, 1907 ... ... ... 325 271 596 On trial, 30th September, 1907 ... ... ... 22 12 34 On register, 30th September, 1907 ... ... 347 283 630 Admitted since 30th September, 1907 ... ... 31 24 55 Total under care since 30th September, 1907 ... 378 307 685 Males. Females. Total. Discharged recovered ... 14 16 30 Discharged unrecovered ... 1 1 2 Died ... ... ... 14 1 15 Total discharged and died — — — 29 18 47 On register, 9th March, 1908 ... ... ... 349 289 638 On trial, 9th March, 1908 ... ... ... 22 13 35 Resident, 9th March, 1908 ... ... ... 327 276 603 Dormitory accommodation for ... ... ... 317 274 591 Patients in excess of accommodation ... ... 10 2 12 It will be noted that there are seven more patients resident than at the beginning of the period, and that there is an excess of twelve patients over the sleeping accommodation. In view of the projected new mental hospital, the contemplated additions have not been carried out at Porirua. Of the patients resident, the following require special attention for the reasons assigned : — Males. Females. Total. Epileptics ... ... ... ... ... 16 14 30 General paralytics ... ... ... ... ... 5 ... 5 Suicidal ... ... ... ... ... 4 10 14 Dangerous (not included above) ... ... ... 20 5 25 Liable to be wet and dirty ... ... ... ... 56 40 96 Actually wet and dirty ... ... ... ... 21 10 31 All the patients returned as suicidal are classed as actively so, and, with the addition of one male deemed to be homicidal, make up the comparatively large number of fifteen persons under specialobservation notices. The usual outdoor games suitable to the season are well patronised, and as many as 150 patients (males, 80 ; females, 70) join in the amusements. The annual picnic was held on the 7th, and 230 patients (m., 129; f., 101) participated. The relatively small number of 76 (m., 31 : f., 45) attend divine service. The following is a return of the employment of the patients :— Males. Females. Total. Farm and garden ... ... ... ... 138 ... 138 In the wards ... ... ... ... ... 79 68 147 ~ workshops ... ... ... ... 9 ... 9 ~ laundry ... ... ... ... ... 1 26 27 ~ kitchen ... ... ... ... 18 18 Needlework ... ... ... ... 36 36 Total usefully employed ... ... ... 227 148 375 Unemployed (physically or mentally unfit) ... ... 100 128 228 327 276 603 Save for an epidemic of influenza, the health of the patients has been good. Six are at present confined to bed —two general paralytics, two suffering from tubercular disease, one from heartdisease, and one from the effects of an injury received before admission. Fourteen of the fifteen deaths were due to natural causes, calling for no comment; the exception was fhat of a man who when absent on trial committed suicide. On his admission-papers he was not described as suicidal, nor was he so regarded when resident or when he left on trial two months previously in the best of spirits. During the same period there have been two accidents involving fracture of bone. One, a fracture of the arm, was due to the capsizing of an invalid chair. The occupant was thrown out when the chair was being wheeled down an incline by a fellow-patient. The probationer-attendant in charge was judged not to have shown suffiicent intelligence or interest in his work, and his services were not retained. The other case was that of an aged woman who is mentally quite demented and unresisting, whose sensations are extremely blunted, and who is practically bedridden. She also is wheeled in an invalid-chair, but no accident is known to have taken place. Her left leg , was reported to be more swollen than usual (she has opdema of the lower extremities), and it was found that the tibia was fractured. The case was fully investigated at the time, without definite result, thoueh there was no suspicion of ill treatment. It is conjectured that she may have protruded the foot when being wheeled, struck a pillar or door-post, and withdrawn the foot acrnin without complaint, causing the incident to pass unnoticed. This supposition is probably the correct one when one considers her condition, and the readiness with which the bones often fracture in such cases. When seen during this visit the fracture had united remarkably well,